Principal Placed on Leave Amid Financial Probe

Marvin Avenue Elementary School Principal Anna McLinn has been placed on temporary leave amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of financial irregularities and mismanagement at the Mid-City campus, Los Angeles school officials said Tuesday.

However, Los Angeles Unified Supt. Ruben Zacarias emphasized that his decision to replace McLinn, 57, with an interim principal was not prompted by recent troubling audit findings.

He said he placed her on leave pending the results of the investigation because he is concerned that McLinn has been locked in an intense battle with teachers union officials that is pitting Latino parents against the African American administrator.

“I pulled her out to defuse rising tensions,” Zacarias said. “My interest was the well-being of the students.”